Rumor Has It I'm Dating the Football Captain

Chapter 26: Chapter 26: The New Normal

Monday morning brought a strange, unfamiliar feeling to the campus for Audrey.

Respect.

When Mrs. Higgins published the weekly sports bulletin, Audrey’s tactical breakdown of the East State match was front and center. By noon, students were actually reading it instead of just tossing the paper into the recycling bins.

"Ellis actually knows football," a tall striker muttered, reading the paper while standing in the cafeteria line.

"She absolutely roasted East State’s tactics," another player laughed, pointing at a paragraph. "Look, she called their midfield ’predictable and unnecessarily panicked.’"

Audrey walked past them, keeping her head down, but a small, proud smile tugged at her lips.

As she passed the athletic office, Coach Miller stepped out holding a mug of black coffee. He stopped, looked at her, and gave a single, firm nod.

"Nice article, Ellis," Coach Miller said.

It was two words. It was completely simple praise. But from Coach Miller, it meant more than a trophy.

"Thank you, Coach," Audrey beamed.

Out on the training pitch, the team was riding the massive high of their away victory. The energy was loose and chaotic. Players were jogging laps, joking around, and tossing the black and white ball back and forth.

Jackson fell into step beside Mason, lightly shoving his captain’s shoulder.

"I’m just saying," Jackson grinned, "your girlfriend is smarter than Coach."

Coach Miller, who was standing ten yards away adjusting a set of training cones, barked without turning around. "Watch it, Jackson. I can make you run bleachers until Friday."

Jackson instantly shut his mouth.

Mason just grinned, jogging at a steady pace. "I know."

He said it completely naturally. He didn’t even think about it.

Leo, who was jogging on Mason’s other side, slowly turned his head. His footsteps slowed down just a fraction.

"...You know?" Leo asked.

Mason blinked. He looked over at his best friend. "Yeah."

Leo just stared at him.

"..."

"...She’s smart," Mason finally added, suddenly feeling the need to defend his completely normal statement. "She caught the decoy run. It’s a fact."

Leo didn’t argue. He didn’t tease him. He just faced forward again and smiled quietly to himself for the rest of the lap.

Inside the journalism room, Ben was leaning back in his office chair, tossing a crumpled piece of paper into the trash can. He missed by a mile.

"So," Ben asked casually. "When did football become fun for you?"

Audrey stopped typing. Her fingers hovered over the keyboard.

It was a simple question. But the answer immediately flashed in her mind.

When Mason started explaining center-back positioning. When he stole my daisy pen. When we broke down match footage in the dark film room.

Football became fun after she met Mason Calloway.

Audrey felt a sudden spike of panic. She completely refused to admit that out loud. If she admitted it to Ben, she would have to admit it to herself.

"I guess..." Audrey lied, staring intently at her glowing laptop screen. "...after I started understanding it. The tactics are like a puzzle."

"Right," Ben chuckled. "A puzzle. Just make sure you don’t start wearing a Westbridge jersey to class. You have to maintain journalistic integrity."

"Never," Audrey promised.

The cafeteria was packed at 1:00 PM. The noise was a dull, constant roar of clattering trays and overlapping conversations.

Audrey walked through the aisles, balancing a plastic tray holding a sandwich, an apple, and a drink. She was looking for Zoya and Chloe, but they were nowhere to be found.

She spotted Mason sitting at a table near the windows. He was talking to Leo and Jackson.

Without thinking, without a single hesitation, Audrey walked straight toward them.

She didn’t do it because they were fake dating. She didn’t do it because she needed to put on a show for the campus. She did it because it was just... natural. That was where she sat now.

Audrey pulled out the chair directly next to Mason and sat down.

She took a bite of her apple.

Halfway through chewing, she completely froze.

She looked around the table. Jackson was talking about a video game. Leo was nodding along. Mason was listening.

Nobody asked me to sit here, Audrey realized, a cold wave of awkwardness washing over her. I just inserted myself into their lunch.

She panicked. She was about to quickly stand up and invent an excuse about needing to study in the library.

But before she could move a muscle, Mason casually reached across the table. He grabbed the small cardboard boat of french fries off his own tray and slid it directly onto hers.

"You like these better," Mason said.

He didn’t look at her. He kept eating his sandwich. He kept listening to Jackson talk about the video game boss fight. He didn’t even realize what he had just done.

Leo stopped chewing.

Jackson stopped talking mid-sentence. His drink hovered halfway to his mouth.

The silence at the table was suddenly deafening.

Leo slowly lowered his sandwich. He leaned across the table.

"Captain..." Leo whispered.

Mason finished his bite. "Hmm?"

"How did you know?" Leo asked, his voice laced with pure awe.

Mason frowned. "Know what?"

Leo pointed a slow, dramatic finger at Audrey’s tray.

Mason looked.

Audrey had already stolen one fry and was currently freezing like a deer in headlights, the fry still in her hand.

Mason looked back at Leo, completely confused. "...She’s always liked fries. She trades her chips for them."

The table went completely, utterly silent.

Jackson slowly lowered his cup. "...You’ve memorized her food."

"No I haven’t," Mason argued, crossing his arms defensively. "I just pay attention. It’s basic observation."

Leo leaned back in his chair. He crossed his arms too. "Okay. Name my favorite drink."

Mason stared at him. "..."

Leo waited.

"...Water?" Mason guessed.

Jackson burst out laughing so hard he actually choked on his ice. Leo just shook his head, looking up at the cafeteria ceiling like he was praying for patience.

Mason looked mildly offended, but Audrey looked down at her tray to hide her face. Her cheeks were burning hot.

When did sitting beside him become normal? Audrey thought, her heart hammering a frantic rhythm against her ribs.

The realization absolutely terrified her.

That evening, the athletic dorms were quiet.

Mason was sitting at his desk, highlighting a section of his sports management textbook. The desk lamp cast a warm, yellow circle of light over his notes.

Across the room, Leo was lying upside down on his bed, scrolling mindlessly through his phone.

The room was peaceful. Just two teammates winding down after a long Monday.

Then, out of nowhere, Leo spoke.

"Captain."

Mason didn’t look up from his textbook. "Hm?"

"If Audrey transferred universities tomorrow..." Leo started, his voice completely casual, like he was asking about the weather. "...Would campus feel quieter?"

Mason answered immediately. It was pure reflex.

"Yeah."

He highlighted another line of text.

One second passed.

Two seconds.

Three seconds.

Mason’s yellow highlighter slowly stopped moving.

He stared at the bright yellow line on the page. His brain finally processed the words that had just casually left his own mouth.

Would campus feel quieter?

Yeah.

Mason slowly looked up from his notes.

"...Wait," Mason said.

Leo didn’t say a word. He didn’t gloat. He didn’t tease him.

Leo simply smiled, rolled off his bed, and walked toward the door.

He stepped out into the hallway and quietly clicked the door shut behind him.

Mason was left sitting alone in the quiet room. He stared at the closed wooden door. He looked down at his bright yellow highlighter.

For the first time since the cafeteria stunt, Mason Calloway didn’t have a single thing to say.

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